Best Of Polar Express build

[up1950s]

When I was into HO I had built a wooden passenger car kit which I modified into a observation on one end and baggage on the other . I put in lights and for a switch I used a glass reed with a hold up magnet near it . Depending on a proximity magnet and the direction the car passed by it the light circuit would go on , or off . It remained that way till the car was reintroduced to the" hall effect " . Some new IM/Centraila cars use a wand which is the same deal .

[peteski]

When I was into HO I had built a wooden passenger car kit which I modified into a observation on one end and baggage on the other . I put in lights and for a switch I used a glass reed with a hold up magnet near it . Depending on a proximity magnet and the direction the car passed by it the light circuit would go on , or off . It remained that way till the car was reintroduced to the" hall effect " . Some new IM/Centraila cars use a wand which is the same deal .

Sorry for being pedantic but reed switch operates on a simple principle of magnetism (iron leafs closing or opening in a presence or absence of magnetic field).  Hall effect is something totally different. No iron or ferromagnetic metal is involved - just a piece of silicon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect

IIRC, the Centralia circuit does use a Hall effect semiconductor switch.

[up1950s]

I will need to re-read that hall effect link a third time , thanks for the correction , hell I had to look up pedantic .

[Lemosteam]

Installment eight... Out of the paint shop:

The baggage car:

 

The Combine. This is where I will simulate the rejected toys and marionettes with some threads and blobs of glue dangling from the inside of the roof. The car will not be lit.



The optional coach sleeper. I consider this car optional because I have heard rumors that the Lifelike Berk does not pull all that well.  I have a lighting system for it too but I ran out of components because I thought I only needed four circuit boards, duh!

 

The passenger car. This will be lit as well

 

The diner car, or Hot Chocolate car.  This will be lit only where the tables are and the tables and chairs need to be painted. I MAY decide to put a flicker fire atop the car with a hobo character, but this might throw a wrench into the roof snow simulation...



And finally the observation car. I have a railing etching, I have to add the ladders, grabs and children to simulate them singing the song on the platform. This is the real reason I went through the trouble of making the downlighting in the platform roof.

 



The full consist:



Next I have to make three more sets of power pickup trucks, finish the observation car detailing, decal all of the cars and the locomotive.  Getting close to putting it on the rails! 

Insight to coupler choice would be most helpful!  I want to go body mounted.

[peteski]

Nice work John!  Why not just keep the stock truck-mounted Rapido couples?  After all, this is a fixed consist.

Rapidos: reliably used on N scale trains since the 60s!
 

[Hornwrecker]

John, Red Caboose makes some dummy couplers in three different lengths that are direct replacements for Rapido couplers, so you can get closer coupling between the cars if you need to.  I think I've got  packets of the short and medium ones if you want to try them out. 

Nice work, by the way.

[delamaize]

John, Red Caboose makes some dummy couplers in three different lengths that are direct replacements for Rapido couplers, so you can get closer coupling between the cars if you need to.  I think I've got  packets of the short and medium ones if you want to try them out. 

Nice work, by the way.

+1

[nkalanaga]

Red Caboose used to make body-mount dummy couplers as well.  They simply screw on, no draft gear needed, so can be used anywhere.

If you want operating couplers, I'd recommend 1016s, set back to give whatever car spacing you need for your curves.  That would give you maximum swing, important for sharper curves.  My favorites, 1025s, work fine on 18 inch curves, and will work on 16 inch, as long as the diaphragms don't give problems, but 1016s are cheaper in 10-packs.

[chicken45]

Will you be putting diaphragms on them?

[nkalanaga]

I thought about it on my trains, but the working diaphragms looked thicker than the cast-on ones, so I just adjusted the coupler spacing until the cars barely made it through my tightest curves.  With the slack in the 1025 couplers, the diaphragms touch when backing, but my trains simply pass through, and have no reason to back up.

[peteski]

I thought about it on my trains, but the working diaphragms looked thicker than the cast-on ones, so I just adjusted the coupler spacing until the cars barely made it through my tightest curves.  With the slack in the 1025 couplers, the diaphragms touch when backing, but my trains simply pass through, and have no reason to back up.

+1. All the functional diaphragms in N scale I have ever looked at seem oversize and toylike.

[arbomambo]

-1
I also USED to feel that functioning diaphragms , in N scale, looked oversize. After modifying them a bit on the backbench I'm now kicking myself that I didn't convert my equipment sooner...
I will agree, however, that adding diaphragms should be included at the start of any build, so it's probably too late in the game to add them now without a re-paint or round-up at the least.
Beautiful work on the paint and observation!!!
Bruce

[peteski]

-1
I also USED to feel that functioning diaphragms , in N scale, looked oversize. After modifying them a bit on the backbench I'm now kicking myself that I didn't convert my equipment sooner...

No mater how heavily they are modified, they will still look way out of scale (to me). To be functional they have to be out of scale (wide, thick or long). I guess I agree to disagree.  Just like some people think that the deeply engraved clapboards on the new Rapido meat reefers look good, while to me they look terrible. 

[Lemosteam]

Hornwrecker, Bruce, delamaize thanks for the kind words.

Peteski, you're killin' me with the Rapido couplers!

I agree, regarding the look, feel and operability of the dia-phra-gums so no Josh, I am not planning on adding them to this build.  I like the RTR ones like on the MT cars though.

I can't seem to find any if the red caboose couplers available anywhere, even on the bay.  Bob, if you have any of those body mount red Caboose, I might want to buy some from ya.

If not, that's OK though.  I have a load of 1015's I can use.  Not sure if this is intended but on the new MT passenger cars, the couplers are allowed to pivot on their body mount fastener, and I wonder if this helps or hinders around curves or not.

[Hornwrecker]

John, the Red Caboose dummies are T-shank, so they're a drop in replacement for Rapido truck mounts.  Don't know how you'd body mount these.  I bought them to get a closer coupling on my sharks.  I'll have a look at them to see if that's possible.